Game apparatus.



N. HUNSBERGER.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16. 1916.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

N. HUNSBERGER.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. as. 1916.

I Patentd Oct. 16,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 61m may i TQE,

NbRIiIAN HUNSBERGER, OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 191W.

np plication filed November 16, 1916; I Serial No. 131,713.

, To all whom'z'tmayjconccm:

i it known that L'N'QRMAN H NSBERGER,

' a citizen ofthe United States, residing at ball game apparatus.

Santa Barbara, in thecounty of Santa Barbara and State of California, have invented ,cei'tain useful Improvements in Game Ap paratus, of which the following. is as'pecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The invention relates to a game apparatus, and more particularly to the class of The primary Object provision 'ofan apparatus of this character wherein the player is enabled to master w th accuracy the pitching and catching of apparatus comprlses a frame A, the vertical ,1 base ball and atthe; same time afforded amusement 1n the use of vthe apparatus.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character wherein the ball isthrown and when striking a mark automatically operates the mechanism so that a ball will be batted to the operator so'that' in this manner said operator gains experience in both throwing and catch ng a ball, thus giving amusement and exerc se for ga nin' accuracy in thepitching and catching of the ball. a

A further object, of the invention isfthe provision of an apparatus of th s character which is simple in construction, thoroughly M reliable and eflicient in its operation, automatic in delivering a ball on the throwing a of another, neat, attractive, entertaining, and

inexpensive in manufacture and installation, i i v Other ob ects will be inpart obvious and in part hereinafter setforth;

The invention,accordingly consistsin the features of construction, combination of elenients and arrangementof parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims. p p I In the accompanying drawings;

J Fi'gure 1 is a side elevation of an appamas constructed in accordance with the invention; i ,1 Fig. 2 is a sectional vlew on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

of the invention is the.

of the mechanism and by dotted lines the automatically shifted position,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the linen- 6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the batting lever showing certain adjunct parts in sectional elevation.

F ig. 8 is a fragmentary verticalsectional View showing in detail the position of the gate for the delivering of a bolt from the chute to the receiver, with the doors'open to the receiver,

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout .the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the

supports 10,the rearwa-rdly convergentlongitudinal bars 11, the transversely disposed roof struts 12 and the transversely disposed floor supporting bars 13 constituting the frame, the longitudinal bars 11 being preferably made in section to permit the installation or the knocking down of the frame in a ratus when in use and a game is in progress.

This frame, interiorly thereof, forms a way for the pitched ball and the delivered ball in the use ofthe apparatus, the operation being hereinafter fully described. I

Arranged at thesmaller end of the frame A is a target which comprises a padding 16 fastened in any suitable manner and having thereover a covering 17, preferably canvas, the padding and covering being supported upon swinging door sections 18 which are mounted upon hinges 19 fixed to the opposite sides of a casing or housing 20 which is disposed rearwardly of and against the rear end of the frame and has therein the mechanism hereinafter fully described. p

The covering 17 and sectors 18 have printed or otherwise marked thereon the ircles e an b of th target Disposed against theouter faces of the sectors 18 and detachably fastened thereto is a disk 21 which constitutes a part of the target and forms a backing for the covering 17, and this disk,.when fastened "upon the sectors, prevents the folding of, the latter rearwardly and inwardly agalnst opposite sides of the casing or housing 20, thesectors being folded when the apparatus is indisuse or when it is desired to transport the .same from one'point to another. 7 H

centrally there1n The disk 21 has formed a circular hole or opening 22 at wh ch point is located the bulls-eye 23 of the target, the

covering 17 being disposed over the bullseye 23, andthis covering at the P0111116 of the bullseeye andconcentrically thereof on its outer face bearscolors or hues distinguishable from each other, the bulls-eye 23 being preferably red, the covering concentrically r of the bulls-eye being preferably white and the sectors on their outer faces concentrically of the covering preferably blue. Formed within the casing or housing 20 are the compartments 24,25 and 26, respectively, while mounted in said compartment 24 div rectlyrearwardly' of the front wall thereof is a vertical frame 27, supporting a guide bearing28 providedwith a friction roller 29 on which moves a, plunger 30, the same carrying at its front end the bulls-eye 23, and secured to this frame 27 below the bea-r ing 28 .is a horizontal support 31 in which is pivoted a rocker arm 32 to which is conn ected at 33 the plunger 30 near its rear end,jand this arm-32 supports a friction roller 34 for operation'upon a trip latch arm 35 swingingly supported upon a pivot 36 at the forward end thereof, the arm being inclined rearwardly and resting upon the roller 34of the rocker arm32 for a purpose presently described.

Connected to the top wall of the compartment 24 and also. connected to the support 31 is. a forwardly inclined brace 37 which extension 40 working within an elongated slot 41 in the bottom 42 between the compartments 24 and 26, while in the front wall of said'casingf or housing 20 and opening into the compartment 26 is a slot 43 through which works a pull rod 44, thesame extending through a loop 45 formed on the re setting extension 40, and this rod 44, at, its inner end, protruded within the compartment 26, carries a tap head 47 which Works against the yoke .end, 45 of the resetting extension '40 to move the batting arm or lever 39 to set or cooked position on pulling outwardly upon the said rod 44 which, at the head end 47 thereof, has connected thereto a weight cable 48 which is trained over a guide pulley 49 jou rnaled within the com partment 26, the cable being also connected with a weight 50 which retracts the rod 44 after being pulled upon for the purposes hereinbefore stated. I t

At the wider end ofl the frame A and pivoted to an upright 51 is an operating lever 52 provided with a suitable handle 53,'

and to this lever is connected the pull rod 44 so that the same can be actuated by the operator oruser of the apparatus. I

Mounted for rocking or adjustable movement on the batting lever or arm 39 near its upper end is a batting wing or plate 54 which works through a. suitable slot 55 formed in the top 56 of the compartment 24 to act upon and deliver a ball 57 from a rearwardly inclined ball receiver 58 when the batting arm or lever 39 is actuated for the delivery of a ball from-the receiver 58 to be caught by the operator of the apparatus at the front or larger end of the frame" 1 A when the said apparatus is actuated. The ELClJLlStIIlGIlt of the wing or plate54 varies the height of throw of the ball from the receiver '58 when the apparatus is in operation.

Formed on'the trip lever or arm 35 is a keeper 59 which engages a cross cock pin or member 60 carried by the batting arm or lever 39 so as to normally hold the same cooked for the batting of a ball when automatically released on the striking of the bulls-eye 23 of the target, as will be apparent. 7

Connected to the batting arm or lever 39 below its pivot 61 is a coiled retractile spring 62 which has connection with an adjustable member'63 mounted in a hanger 64 suitably fastened to the support '31 and the bottom 42 respectively, as shown in the drawings. This spring 62 serves to throw the batting lever or arm 39 when released from cocked position to effect the batting of the ball 57- from the receiver 58,'which latter has arranged at its open front end swinging doors 65 which are normally closed and are automatically opened before thedelivery' of the ball therefrom in a manner presently de-.

scribed.

Suitably fixed to the frame 27 or supported thereby are cushioning springs 66 which are arranged in the path of movement of the batting arm or lever 39 to serve as buffers therefor when the same is released from cocked position.

j :Carriedby the frame27 is a hanger 67 V which'has pivoted thereto a rocking lever 68 which is linked at 69 to the batting arm or movement.

lever 39 and also pivotally connectedwith a door opening member 17 0 which acts upon the door 65 priorto thebatting of the ball 57 in the receiver58 for the opening of the doors to permit the delivery'of the ball, the

rocking lever 68' beingacted upon through the medium of a spring 71 for the tension top and bottom of the receiver for its proper Adj ustably arranged within the receiver 58 is a ball stop 72 which issuitably slotted to permit the passing of the batting wing or plate 54: therethrough for the batting of the [ball in the delivery of the same from the receiver, the ball being delivered to the receiver in amanner hereinafter fully described.

Arranged within the frame at the roof thereof, medially of the same, is a ball trough 73: which leads to ball chute 74' above the receiver 58 within the housing or.

opening memberf70 atits rear end, the gate being normally closed to stop, the del very of balls from the chute'i'i to the receiver, and on the actuation ofthe apparatus a single, ball is successively deliveredfrom the,

chute 7 4 to said receiver, as will be apparent. n It is to beunderstood that the resetting eXtensionAOcan be detached from the lower end of the arm and placed thereon when the occasion requires, v

When the ball is batted through. the frame Athe operator attempts to catch the ball and when the same is recovered it is placed within the trough 7 3 for its delivery to the chute so that it will be fed within the apparatus for the automatic batting operation thereof. When the operator throws or pitches the balland it strikes the bullseye 23 of the apparatus the batting mechanism is actuated for the delivery of a ball to be caught byfsaid operator. NOW.11'1 throwing or pitching the ball should the lattermiss the bull sgeye and strike certain zones of the target, this affords a scoring in the favor of the thrower having a predetermined valuation to be tallied upon a score card or thelike, and should the op erator catch the ball when batted from the apparatus this also indicates a certaln scor ing to be tallied. The rules and regula; tions in the use of the apparatus'for a game a of ball canbe determined and any number ing orhousing 20 are springs 7 8 which act upon the doorsto normally. hold the same.

close'chwhich are automatically opened on the forward movement of the member which is actuated automatically, as herein before setforth.

Inthe operation of the'apparatus, it will be assumed that a ball 57 has been delivered to the receiver 58 and is in resting position against the stop v72 interiorly of said re ceiver, and also that another ball is within the chute .74. The ball is held therein from delivery into the receiver by the gate76 which is in closed position as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The operator at the front of the frame A, when holding a ball,

tosses the same by the pitching thereof to strike the target, and when this ball hits the 1 bu'lls-eye23 the impact ofthe blow causes the stem' 30 to move inwardly within the housing or casing, and in this movement of the stem 30 the arm 32 is rocked in a direction to trip the latch arm 35 which frees the batting lever or arm 39 and under the action of the tension of the spring 62 said batting lever or arm 39 moves forwardly within the housing or casing, and the batting winged acts upon the ball 57 within the receiver 58, forcing said ball outwardly therefrom, and in the forward movement of the batting lever or arm 39 the rocking lever 68 is moved in a direction to actuate the door opening memberTO which moves forwardly, and the front end thereof acts upon the doors '65,causing the same to open for the free passage of the ball from the receiver into the frame A of the apparatus, and this ball can be caught bythe operator atthe front end of saidqapparatus. On the movement of the door opening member 70 the connection 77 with the gate 76 moves said gate to a loweredposition so that the chute 74 willbeopened for the passage of the ball therein on to the top ofthe re ceiver 58 whichis formed with a suitable opening topermit the delivery of said ball into the receiver against the stop 7 2 therein. In resetting the batting arm or lever 39 the operator actuates the throw lever 52 which pulls upon the rod 44 and the head 4:7 there on plays against the extension 40 of said arm so that on the movement of the rod 44: in one direction the arm or lever 39 is moved to normal position for engagement of the latch arm 35 therewith, and in this position of the batting arm or lever the spring GQ is tensioned to automatically actuate the same when it is released from the latch arm. On the resetting of the batting arm or lever 39 the rocking lever 68'is moved thereby and in the movement of said rocking lever the door openingmember 70 is retracted withinthe compartment 25 and through the connection 77 therewith'from the gate 76 the'latte'r is automatically moved to closing position to prevent the discharge of a ball.

from; thelchute 7A until the batting arm or lever, 39/ has delivered a ball from the re- .ceiverf58 in a mannerhereinbefore set forth.

It is to be understood of course that changes, variations, and modifications may be, made ascome' properly Within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrific- -ing any of its advantages. The housing is of box-like form and the Walled compart-. ment 26 therein can be separable therefrom.

if. desired.

I From the foregoing description, 'taken in connection wlth the accompanying drawings, theconstruction and manner of use of the-herein describedgame apparatus Wlll be readily apparent and, therefore, .a more eXtendedeXplanation has been omitted. 20

ing thus described my invention, I

end of theframe and having a movable bulls-eye, a ball receiver abovethe target,

batting mechanism, for automatically delivering a ball from the receiver through the Way, mechanism for setting the batting mechanlsm, means for releasing the set batting mechanism When the bulls-eye hasbeen displaced, a ball return trough in the frame,

and a chute communicating With the trough for, delivering balls tothe receiver. a

. 2. A game apparatus comprising a frame forming a Wayftherethrough, a target at one end of theframe and having a movable, bulls-eye, .a-ball receiverabovethe target,

batting mechanism for automatically delivering .atball from the receiver through the Way, i'echanism for setting the batting mechanism, means forreleasmg the set bat ting mechanism when the bulls-eye has been displaced, a ball return troughin the frame,

j a chute communicating with" the trough for. dellverlng balls vtothe receiver, anda gate automatically controlled. by the battingmechanism for effecting thedischarge singly of balls from the chute to the receiver.

, 3. A game apparatus comprising, a frame forming a Way therethrough, a target atone end' of the frame and having a movable bulls-eye, a ball receiver above the target, batting mechanism. for automatically deliv: ering a ball from the receiver through the way, mechanism for setting the batting mechanism, means for releasingthe set batting mechanism When the bulls-eye has been displaced,a ball return trough in the frame, a chute communicating with thetrough for delivering balls to the receiver, a gate automatically controlled by the batting mechanism for. effecting! the discharge singly. of balls from the chute to the receiver, and an adjustable batting ing cooperative. With the batting mechanism.

i 4. A game apparatus'cornprising a frame forminga vvaytherethrotigli, a target at one end of the frame and having a movable bulls-eye, a ball receiver 'above the target, batting mechanism for automatically deliv ering a ballfrom the receiver through the Way, mechanism for setting the batting mechanism, means for releasing the set batting mechan sm when the ou1lseye has been.

displaced, a ball return trough in the frame,

a chutecommunicating With the trough for delivering balls to the receiver, a gate automatically controlled by the battingi mecha .nism for effecting the discharge singly of balls from the chute to the receiver, an'ad justable batting wing cooperative With the battingmechanism, and means for regulat+ ing the'tension on the batting m'echanism.

5. A game apparatus comprisinga frame formingfa Way therethrough, a target at one end of the frame and having a movable bull s-eye, a ball receiver abovethe target, batting .mechani'sn for automatically delivering. a ball from the receiver'thr'ough the Way, mechanism for setting the batting.

. end. of the frame and having a" movable bulPs-eye, a ball receiver abovethe target, batting mechanism for automatically deiiv-- ering. a ball from the receiver through the Way, mechanism forv setting the batting mechanism,means forreleasing the setbatting mechanism when the bulls-eye has been displaced, a ball return trough in the frame, a chutecommunicating with the trough'for delivering balls to the receiver, agate automatically controlled by the batting mechanism for effecting the discharge sin'glyof balls from the chute to the receiver, an adjustable batting Wing cooperative with the batting mechanism, means for regulating the tension on the batting mechanism, buffersfor the batting mechanism, and means having. connection with the setting mecha-. nism to return the same to normal position. T.. A game apparatus comprising a frame, forming a Way therethrough,a target at one end ofthe frame and. having' a movable bullseye, aball receiver above the target, batting mechanism for automatically deliv ering a ball from thereceiver through the Way, mechanism for setting the batting mechanism, means for releasing the set batting mechanism when the bulls-eye has been displaced, a ball return trough in the frame, a chute communicating with the trough for delivering balls to the receiver, a gate automatically controlled by the batting mechanism for effecting the discharge singly of balls from the chute to the receiver, an adjustable batting wing cooperative with the batting mechanism, means for regulating the tension on the batting mechanism, buflers for the batting mechanism, means having connection with the setting mechanism to return the same to normal position, doors at the delivery end of the receiver for opening and closing movements, and means for opening the doors ball therefrom.

8. A game apparatus comprising a frame forming a way therethrough, a target at one end of the frame and having a movable bulls-eye, a ball receiver above the target, batting mechanism for automatically delivering a ball from the receiver through the way, mechanism for setting the batting mechanism, means for releasing the set batting mechanism when the bulls-eye has been displaced, a ball return trough in the frame, a chute communicating with the trough for delivering balls to the receiver,

a gate automatically controlled by the batting mechanism for effecting the discharge singly of balls from the chute to the receiver,

an adjustable batting wing cooperative with the batting mechanism, means for regulating the tension on the batting mechanism, buffers for the batting mechanism, means havprior to the batting of the ing the doors prior to the batting of the ball 7 therefrom, and means for normally holding the doors closed."

9. A game apparatus comprising a frame forming a way therethrough, a target at one end of the frame and having a movable bulls-eye, a ball receiver above the target, batting mechanism for automatically delivering a ball from the receiver through the way, mechanism for setting the batting mechanism, means for releasing the set batting mechanism when the bullseye has been displaced, a ball return trough in the frame, a chute communicating with the trough for delivering balls to the receiver, a gate automatically controlled bythe batting mechanism for effecting the discharge singly of therefrom, means for normally holding the doors closed, and an adjustable stop within the receiver.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

NORMAN HUNSBERGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

balls from the chute to the receiver, an ad- 

